Gillian Anderson has revealed her new Netflix show Sex Education deliberately amalgamates elements of British and American cultures in the hope of appealing to both audiences.

Sex Education is 'definitely set in the UK', according to the former X-files star and the characters have British accents, but also play American football and wear clothes straight out of a US 1980s teen comedy.

Gillian, 50, plays a sex therapist and the mother of the lead character Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), a socially awkward pupil at the fictional Moordale Secondary.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Gillian said: 'There is a bit of both worlds, decidedly, in the series, and the aim and the hope is that Americans won't notice.

'For instance, the Brits may notice that they are throwing American footballs, whereas the Americans won't notice that that might be strange for people speaking with British accents.

Gillian Anderson, who plays a sex therapist in the new Netflix show, 'Sex Education' has said the comedy's setting is deliberately ambiguous

'The rules are shifting all the time in terms of how an audience receives the shows that they're watching, what they're willing to accept and what realms and worlds they're willing to step into to suspend their disbelief.

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Asa Butterfield, who plays her son in the eight-episode comedy, previously told AP it's set in 'Nowheresville'.

The show sees Butterfield's character team up with a smart-bad girl to create an underground sex therapy clinic, leaning on the knowledge he's absorbed from his mother over the years.

While the character speak in British accents, they also wear US-style varsity jackets and play American football

There's plenty of nudity and blunt examination of everything from same-sex love, abortion and wet dreams. Netflix itself describes the show as 'heartfelt, raunchy and irreverent.'

'We don't say where it is and it's got these rolling hills and these people dress a bit like they're from the '80s' he said.

'It has kind of got a timeless vibe to it which I think really helped make the show stand out.'

Asa Butterfield's character Otis (left) teams up with a street smart girl to create a sex therapy clinic at his school

Sex Education was shot at Caerleon, a former University of South Wales campus which closed in 2016.

While filming, Netflix gave local teens work experience on this, the first season, saying it hoped they would return to fill other roles if the series progresses.

Gillian's comments come after viewers on Twitter were very confused as to where it was set.

'Watching Sex Education on Netflix and I am confused about why this seems to be set in an American high school that's been dropped in the middle of England,' read one comment online.

Another user on Twitter said: 'Sex Education on Netflix: where the f**k is this supposed to be set? Why are they all so old? Why aren't they wearing school uniform?'

'Make it make sense', pleaded another, adding: 'It's British but American but British ... but American.'

A fourth added: 'am ten minutes into sex education and i just need to know if the writers actually think British secondary school culture is the same as american high school culture because it.......Really Is Not'

Many online praised the show but viewers also noticed the inconsistent visuals